This Blog is created to stress the importance of Peace as an environmental directive. “I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it’s hell.” – Harry Truman
(I receive no compensation from any entry on this blog.)
Proof of a successful rescue mission. The two Captains together. My sincerest 'thank you' to all involved and 'congratulations' to the Navy Seals, the Naval crews and to our Commander and Chief for the safe return of the Maersk Alabama, the crew and their Captain. It is amazing to witness the bravery of Americans. Makes a nation proud.
The picture and story below is from The New York Times. U.S. Captain Held by Pirates Is Rescued (click here) By R.M. SCHNEIDERMAN Published: April 12, 2009 The captain of an American cargo ship held hostage by armed Somali pirates was rescued on Sunday by United States Navy personnel, who killed three his captors, government and shipping officials said.
The pictures and story below is from The Los Angeles Times.
After receiving news that their captain was free, crew members of the Maersk Alabama celebrated on deck. The ship had reached its port destination of Mombasa, Kenya.
U.S. sea captain rescued after gunfight with Somali pirates (click here) Richard Phillips, 53, had been held for more than four days by the pirates. “This is truly a very happy Easter for the Phillips family,” said Alison McColl, an official with the ship’s owner, Maersk Line, Limited, who has been representing Captain Phillips’ family. “They are all just so happy and relieved.” Maersk was told at 1:30 p.m. Sunday that Captain Phillips had been rescued, the company said in a statement. “John Reinhart, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maersk Line, Limited, called Captain Phillips’ wife, Andrea, to tell her the good news,” the statement continued. “The crew of the Maersk Alabama was jubilant when they received word.”
They are all brave men, from the crew of the Maersk Alabama, to the Captains and crews of our Navy Ships, to the Seals and to the President. They are all men to be proud of. They did great.
(NECN: Washington, D.C.) - The rescue of Captain Richard Phillips was under the direct authority of President Barack Obama, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Bill Gortney told reporters over the phone on Sunday. "Authorities came directly from the president," Vice Adm. Gortney said. "The number one authority for incidents if we were going to respond was if the captain's life was in immediate danger, and that is the situation in which our sailors acted."...
Mobasa Harbor is noted with this map (click to enlarge - thank you).
The footage of a returning crew member to the Kenyan port is rather graphic in its verbiage, however, I believe the crew may be misinterpreting the actions of the media. To some extent, the returning crew may be feeling shame for living through it when there Captain is still in peril. They don't stop to realize this isn't a media circus so much as media exposure of a serious set of circumstances with a dynamic that brings pressure to the kidnappers of the Captain.
To begin there is still a life 'at risk.' There are actually many lives at risk, including the pirates and their other hijacked ships and the crews. But, for the most part, the life that is most at risk is Captain Phillips and for that reason, the media and the people they serve have a vested interest.
Making too much of the Somali pirates? No, simply because the 'idea' of invasion into Somalia to stop the pirates completely and forever isn't even a viable strategy at this point. There are too many innocent people at risk for an operation like that and I doubt sincerely if the USA Navy is even considering such an agenda, although, they most certainly have a strategy that might include that scenario if the opportunity either allows it OR DICTATES it.
The focus on the pirates of Somalia and the international waters they operate in, is an important one. It focuses on the 'rights' of civilization to secure their transports WITHOUT being militarized. The real question is NOT "Are we making too much of the Somali Pirates?," but "Are we NOT making enough of the security of our ocean going transports?"
...Somalia's 2,300 kilometer long coast (click title to entry - thank you) is the longest in Africa and its waters are rife with pirates. Last year, they seized more than 100 ships. This year, pirates have already captured more than dozen vessels, including an Italian-flagged boat and its crew of 16 that were captured Saturday in the Gulf of Aden. The United Nations Security Council has authorized nations to pursue the pirates beyond international waters "by land, sea and air" including onto Somali territory if necessary. But there has been no decision on what to do with the pirates once they are in custody....
To illustrate the 'vigilance' to safety of all involved, the USA sailors when fired 'upon' moved to safe distance and did NOT 'return fire.' Although. They had every right to do so. It was a valient and brilliant stance the USA Navy took in this regard, because, it showed the pirates were truly interested in 'a war' and not simply 'hijacking.' They wanted to invite war without regard to the people of Somalia. They proved once again they have little to no regard for human life except for it's fiscal value to their economy.
The statement above by the United Nations is a strategically important one. It provides 'safety' to allow 'benevolent transport ships' to protect themselves from the Somali pirates no matter what it takes to do so. There are lives in the balance and without such consent any 'move against' the pirates, their bases and their mother ships could be construed by some countries as unwarranted aggression rather than self defense.
The reasoning could become completely bizarre, including ideas as far ranging as 'we recognize' this is how a 'warrior' society in Somalia addresses their economy. They do not kill people so long as their fiscal needs are met and ransom money is simply a part of doing business in this part of the world. An 'ideation' like that would raise questions to even the World Courts to attempt to intimidate civilization as to a 'lost culture' in Somalia and opening the door to questionable genocide if an invasion took place costing the Somalies children and women.
So, I find the statement by the United Nations refreshing and definitive. Already, the 'focus' by the media and the 'actions' of the USA Navy have paid off to the international shipping community.
Sometimes victories are won when not shedding one corpusle of blood, but, in the rooms of power and recognition of 'human rights.' This shipment on The Maersk Alabama was most egregeious to stop since it was food aid to countries within Africa. A delay could cost millions of people, including women and children, their lives and hence providing reason to believe the Somali pirates are indeed a grave danger to people and capable of mass genocide by starvation.
Let's take this one step further. What indeed 'defines' when a naval vessel of any country can 'fire upon' another vessel regardless of its cargo? There are methodologies to war that would include cutting off supplies, etc. So, then, what indeed defines these parameters?
One very logical and overt answer is, "A ship can be 'fired upon' if it is armed." NOW, with the permission of agencies/institutions such as the United Nations Security Council stating ocean going vessels can have 'prophylactic' volumes of arms to protect themselves and cargo OR hire such escorts is a huge jump to stopping this insane mess with the Somalian coastline. It doesn't matter, in this case, if indeed the Somalian people have this 'inane' definition of culture, we as civilized people can now define OUR RIGHT to protect our goods, ships, people and 'rights of way' in international waters.
In my opinion, the incident that still keeps Captain Phillips as a hostage has resulted in huge international steps to free merchant ships from such horrible circumstances and begins to set parameters to tolerance of aggression by people that see harming civilization as an option.
...The state Senate passed a bill (click title to entry - thank you) from Gov. Martin O'Malley 32-14 yesterday to purchase or exercise eminent domain to acquire the Maryland assets of Magna, which declared bankruptcy in March. Those properties include Laurel Park in west county, the Bowie Race Course Training Center, Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and all rights and events associated with the Preakness Stakes....
The Washington Post scooped everyone with its article in the early morning hours. The Kennedy Family is presenting the Obama family with a house warming gift.
So, like ah, who told you Manuel? Easter Bunny?
The First Puppy Makes a Big Splash (click title of entry - thank you) Bo, the Portuguese Water Dog, Is All Over the Web Before His Official Debut By Manuel Roig-Franzia Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, April 12, 2009; Page A01 Who let the dog out? That's the Washington mystery du jour ...The little guy is a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog given to the Obama girls as a gift by that Portuguese water dog-lovin' senator himself, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. The girls named it Bo -- and let it be noted that you learned that here first. Malia and Sasha chose the name, because their cousins have a cat named Bo and because first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley, a source said. (Get it? Bo . . . Diddley?)...
-Is medium-sized, strong and durable, athletic and agile -Has a curly or wavy coat -Sheds less than many other breeds, because shed hairs are trapped in the tousled coat -Thrives on vigorous exercise and athletic activities. -Makes a fine watchdog, but is too polite to be a guardian -Is usually fine with other pets
